iBet: Back Swansea To Get Something At Craven Cottage

Backing a team that has only won one of its last six Premier League games and which has failed to defeat Stoke, Cardiff and West Ham in its last three fixtures might not on the face of it be the most attractive betting advice, but I think there are reasons to think Laudrup’s men represent a little bit of value to get something out of their trip to Fulham.

Swansea had a magnificent pre-season and I backed them to finish in the top 10. My only reservation was whether they had the ability to fight on the European and domestic fronts at the same time. That’s proving to be taking its toll and after a promising September which saw them win at Valencia, Crystal Palace and West Brom and draw with Liverpool, their form has dropped away and they now lie in 13th. But there is genuine quality in this side. This is a team that loves to play the possession game and in Wilfried Bony they carry a genuine threat up front. I am not sure that can be said of Fulham. Martin Jol bought a little time after a pretty dire start to the season with back-to-back wins against Stoke and Crystal Palace at the start of October, but this looks a side heading for trouble.

Fulham’s main threat came from 15-goal Dimatar Berbatov last season, but so far this time around the 32-year looks off his game, and has scored only one goal in ten in the current campaign. Without him they are struggling to find the net – no player has scored more than twice in the league this season.

A table based on numbers of shots at goal per game this season would have Fulham stone last with an average of 6.55 shots. Hull are the next worst with 7.36. Jol’s mood will not have been helped by the employment of Rene Meulensteen to ‘work alongside him’. Fulham’s last eight games at home have yielded only four points – the worst tally in the top flight over that period. Plus they have problems.

Greece captain Karagounis could be drained following his midweek international exploits and the same might apply to Kacaniklic, who played in another high pressure game for Sweden. Hangeland is in doubt with a nerve issue in his leg, while Rodallega, Riether and Briggs are all definitely out. Swansea have a good record at Craven Cottage having won on their last two visits and there are reasons for thinking that this is a better Swansea side than in the past, and a worse Fulham side. I will be laying the home side.

Advices
Carl Froch is a strong favourite at 2/7 (Ladbrokes) to beat George Groves at 7/2 (BetVictor) in the big fight on Saturday night at 10pm. You can get 8/11 with Totesport that Froch wins by a knock out or disqualification and with all the needle in the run-up, that looks the value. If you think it will go the distance, take the 13/8 with Coral or William Hill.